Rifampin (Systemic)

Brand Names : Rifadin, Rifadin IV, Rimactane, Rofact, rifampicin

Before Using This Medicine

In deciding to use a medicine, the risks of taking the medicine must be weighed against the good it will do. This is a decision you and your doctor will make. For rifampin, the following should be considered:

Allergies - Tell your doctor if you have ever had any unusual or allergic reaction to rifampin. Also tell your health care professional if you are allergic to any other substances, such as foods, preservatives, or dyes.

Pregnancy - Pregnant women with tuberculosis (TB) should be treated with TB medicines, including rifampin. Rifampin can rarely cause bleeding in newborn babies and mothers when taken during the last weeks of pregnancy. Studies in rats and mice have shown that rifampin given in high doses causes birth defects, usually backbone problems (spina bifida) and cleft palate.

Breast-feeding - Rifampin passes into the breast milk. However, rifampin has not been reported to cause problems in nursing babies.

Children - This medicine has been tested in children and, in effective doses, has not been shown to cause different side effects or problems in children than it does in adults.

Older adults - Many medicines have not been studied specifically in older people. Therefore, it may not be known whether they work exactly the same way they do in younger adults. Although there is no specific information comparing use of rifampin in the elderly with use in other age groups, this medicine is not expected to cause different side effects or problems in older people than it does in younger adults.

Other medicines - Although certain medicines should not be used together at all, in other cases two different medicines may be used together even if an interaction might occur. In these cases, your doctor may want to change the dose, or other precautions may be necessary. When you are taking rifampin, it is especially important that your health care professional know if you are taking any of the following:

• Acetaminophen (e.g., Tylenol) (with long-term, high-dose use) or
• Amiodarone (e.g., Cordarone) or
• Anabolic steroids (nandrolone [e.g., Anabolin], oxandrolone [e.g., Anavar], oxymetholone [e.g., Anadrol], stanozolol [e.g., Winstrol]) or
• Androgens (male hormones) or
• Antithyroid agents (medicine for overactive thyroid) or
• Carbamazepine (e.g., Tegretol) or
• Carmustine (e.g., BiCNU) or
• Chloroquine (e.g., Aralen) or
• Dantrolene (e.g., Dantrium) or
• Daunorubicin (e.g., Cerubidine) or
• Disulfiram (e.g., Antabuse) or
• Divalproex (e.g., Depakote) or
• Etretinate (e.g., Tegison) or
• Gold salts (medicine for arthritis) or
• Hydroxychloroquine (e.g., Plaquenil) or
• Isoniazid (e.g., INH, Nydrazid) or
• Mercaptopurine (e.g., Purinethol) or
• Methotrexate (e.g., Mexate) or
• Methyldopa (e.g., Aldomet) or
• Naltrexone (e.g., Trexan) (with long-term, high-dose use) or
• Phenothiazines (acetophenazine [e.g., Tindal], chlorpromazine [e.g., Thorazine], fluphenazine [e.g., Prolixin], mesoridazine [e.g., Serentil], perphenazine [e.g., Trilafon], prochlorperazine [e.g., Compazine], promazine [e.g., Sparine], promethazine [e.g., Phenergan], thioridazine [e.g., Mellaril], trifluoperazine [e.g., Stelazine], triflupromazine [e.g., Vesprin], trimeprazine [e.g., Temaril]) or
• Plicamycin (e.g., Mithracin) or
• Valproic acid (e.g., Depakene) - These medicines may increase the chance of liver damage if taken with rifampin

• Anticoagulants (blood thinners) or
• Aminophylline (e.g., Somophyllin) or
• Amprenavir (e.g. Agenerase) or
• Antidiabetics, oral (diabetes medicine you take by mouth), or
• Chloramphenicol or
• Corticosteroids (cortisone-like medicine) or
• Delavirdine (e.g., Rescriptor) or
• Digitalis glycosides (heart medicine) or
• Disopyramide (e.g., Norpace) or
• Efavirenz (e.g., Sustiva) or
• Fluconazole (e.g., Diflucan) or
• Indinavir (e.g., Crixivan) or
• Itraconazole (e.g., Sporanox) or
• Ketoconazole (e.g., Nizoral) or
• Methadone (e.g., Dolophine) or
• Mexiletine (e.g., Mexitil) or
• Nelfinavir (e.g., Viracept) or
• Nevirapine (e.g., Viramune) or
• Oxtriphylline (e.g., Choledyl) or
• Quinidine (e.g., Quinidex) or
• Ritonavir (e.g., Norvir) or
• Saquinavir (e.g., Fortovase, Invirase) or
• Theophylline (e.g., Theo-Dur, Somophyllin-T) or
• Tocainide (e.g., Tonocard) or
• Verapamil (e.g., Calan) - Rifampin may decrease the effects of these medicines

• Estramustine (e.g., EMCYT) or
• Estrogens (female hormones) or
• Oral contraceptives (birth control pills) containing estrogen or
• Phenytoin (e.g., Dilantin) - Rifampin may decrease the effects of these medicines. If you are taking oral contraceptives, this may increase the chance of pregnancy. These medicines may also increase the chance of liver damage if taken with rifampin

Other medical problems - The presence of other medical problems may affect the use of rifampin. Make sure you tell your doctor if you have any other medical problems, especially:

• Alcohol abuse (or history of) or
• Liver disease - There may be an increased chance of side effects affecting the liver in patients with a history of alcohol abuse or liver disease